This project represents a multi-faceted approach to the study of the role of the lens epithelium in cataractogenesis and normal lens physiology. Current experiments continue to examine how the culture of frog lenses and capsular explants in certain media may alter the capacity for gene expression of lens cells. Observation of the intact lens is accompanied by serial sectioning, whole-mount observation, cell culture, subcellular manipulation and biochemical analysis. By measuring radioactive proline incorporation into proline and hydroxyproline of lens protein, we will determine whether media conditions in vitro may alter the proportion of protein synthesis dedicated to a specific protein, collagen. Immunological staining techniques will demonstrate whether the cellular changes occurring in the lens in vitro are drastic enough to affect the presence of the crystallin components. Larger lenses from other animal sources will be introduced in our studies to facilitate biochemical analyses, and more specifically, investigation of RNA and protein synthesis, if warranted.